Victory Bell (USC-UCLA)
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[edit] Summary
The Victory Bell (UCLA-USC) is an annual trophy given to either the University of Southern California or the University of California, Los Angeles. The winner of the annual UCLA-USC rivalry football contest keeps the bell for the next year, and paints it the school's color: "True Blue" for UCLA, or cardinal for USC. The Victory Bell is a 295-pound brass bell that originally rang atop a Southern Pacific railroad locomotive. It is currently mounted on a special wheeled carriage.
[edit] History
The bell was given to the UCLA student body in 1939 as a gift from the school's Alumni Association. Initially, the UCLA cheerleaders rang the bell after each Bruin point. However, during the opening game of UCLA's 1941 season (at the time, both schools used the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for home games), six members of USC's SigEp fraternity (who were also members of the Trojan Knights) infiltrated the Bruin rooting section, assisted in loading the bell aboard a truck headed back to Westwood, took the key to the truck, and escaped with the bell while UCLA's actual rooters went to find a replacement key. The bell remained hidden from UCLA students for more than a year, first in SigEp’s basement, then in the Hollywood Hills, Santa Ana and other locations. At one point, it was even concealed beneath a haystack. Bruin students tried to locate the bell, but to no avail. A picture of the bell appeared in a USC periodical. Tension between UCLA and USC students rose as each started to play even more elaborate and disruptive pranks on the other. When the conflict caused the USC President to threaten to cancel the rivalry, a compromise was met: on November 12, 1942, the student body presidents of both schools, in front of Tommy Trojan, signed the agreement that the bell would be the trophy for the game.
[edit] Series Record
UCLA currently holds the bell, having broken USC's seven-game win streak during the 2006 football season, winning 13-9. The Victory Bell was held by USC during the 1999-2005 football seasons. USC leads with an overall record of 41-28-7 in football contests with UCLA. Before the streak of seven Trojan wins, the Bruins had won the Bell for the eight consecutive years from 1991-1998, the longest streak in the rivalry.
[edit] USC
Before home games, when the bell is in USC's possession, it sits along Trousdale Parkway for fans to ring as they participate in the "Trojan Walk" to the L.A. Coliseum. During home games, and whenever USC faces UCLA at the Rose Bowl, the Victory Bell is displayed at the edge of the field for the first three quarters of the game. Members of the Trojan Knights and USC Helenes ring the bell every time the Trojans score. The carriage is painted cardinal red.
[edit] UCLA
When the bell is in UCLA's possession, the carriage is sandblasted and painted "True Blue". While in the possession of UCLA, the Bell is safeguarded by the UCLA Rally Committee. During UCLA home games at the Rose Bowl and whenever UCLA faces USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum, it resides on the field in front of the student section. It is rung by members of the Rally Committee after each score. The Bell also makes special appearances at rallies and athletic events. It has been used to accompany the UCLA Band during halftime shows. In particular the bell will make an appearance at a major gathering when the bell returns to UCLA.
